


The Pianist and the Pilot

by velocitygrass



Series: Life-Changing Encounters [3]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-02
Updated: 2015-08-02
Packaged: 2018-04-12 15:20:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4484387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/velocitygrass/pseuds/velocitygrass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Rodney's rental car breaks down on the way to a concert, Rodney enters John's favorite bar. A one-night-stand turns into two, which turns into much more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Pianist and the Pilot

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to allofspace for the beta!

John was nursing his second beer when he saw Teyla look at the door, her eyes narrowing a fraction. Teyla had a good instinct for trouble in her bar, so John turned around to see what made her alert.

It turned out to be a pretty harmless looking guy. Well, harmless but extremely annoyed. John was pretty sure that Ronon—and Teyla for that matter—could snap him in half if he were to start a fight, but he could make a scene, which would explain Teyla's unease.

"Can I help you?" Teyla asked, giving the stranger a smile that didn't reach her eyes. She kept her hands on the bar. Next to John, Ronon straightened in his seat.

The stranger seemed completely oblivious to the tension he caused. His already skewed mouth seemed to skew even more, and his eyes were blazing as he came closer. They were blue—really incredibly blue for John to notice them in the relatively dim light.

"Tell me you have a phone," the stranger demanded.

Teyla rose an eyebrow, and her grip on the bar tightened for a second, but then she put a phone in front of him.

The stranger took it and started dialing, looking around the bar with distaste. Ronon gave Teyla a look, but she shook her head minutely, then left when a customer at the other end of the bar asked for a drink.

John had met a lot of people both in the Air Force and as a hired pilot. Many of them had enough money or authority to turn a dressing down into an art form, but none of them had anything on this guy. John didn't even think he needed to breathe to make sure that the car rental company knew what he thought about the condition of their cars and their refusal to have it fixed or picked up.

John swore he could see spittle flying, and the guy did things with his free hand that were fascinating.

Eventually he hung up. "Can you tell me the number of a taxi company?"

"Of course," Teyla said, pushing a card over the bar.

"How long do you think it will take them?" the guy asked, as he started dialing. "Because I have a concert in"—he checked his watch—"fifteen minutes and don't have time for—"

"Where is it?" John heard himself ask.

Teyla, Ronon, and the guy turned to him.

"It's at the Harmony Auditorium," the guy said.

"Oh, I can take you there in five minutes," John said. Ronon and Teyla stared at him. "Ten tops," he amended.

The guy hung up and put the phone on the bar. "Then let's get to it!"

John quickly finished his beer and got up, searching his wallet.

"Go," Teyla said.

"I'll pay tomorrow," John assured her, then followed Blue Eyes out of the bar.

~~

His name turned out to be Rodney McKay. He never introduced himself to John during the ride, complaining about the rental company instead, but John saw the name on the poster below McKay's face. It was a flattering black and white shot, though John thought it was a crime to desaturate his blue eyes.

"I can't believe we made it in time," McKay said when they arrived. Then he was out the door and quickly walking towards a very nervous looking woman, whose knees seemed to buckle in relief at seeing McKay.

"You're welcome," John said to the still open door.

McKay was rushed away, though he did look back once and gave John a little wave and nod. John found himself waving back and smiling. Then he sighed. McKay had been pretty much a dick since he stepped into the bar, but John couldn't help being curious.

He parked his car and walked up to the ticket booth. "Is it sold out?" he asked. He hadn't been at a piano concert in...ever, so he wasn't even sure what he wanted the answer to be. He also felt underdressed in his jeans, but apparently they didn't have a strict dress code. In the end he got a ticket in the middle.

John liked classical music, but he felt he needed to put his full attention on it to enjoy it, and he'd just never bothered. He didn't know enough about music to tell if McKay was good, but John liked what he heard. McKay's fingers flew over the keys as quickly and passionately as he'd raged at the rental company earlier.

John had to wonder if he was as passionate in everything he did. His mind drifted to other things that slanted mouth could do, looking up at John with his amazingly blue eyes. John shifted in his seat and reminded himself to pay attention to the music instead of fantasizing about sex with almost strangers.

Later, John wasn't sure what had driven him to wait outside for McKay. He was obviously attracted to the pianist, but it wasn't at all like John to run after people who hadn't even hinted they might be interested in him. And it wasn't even to proposition him. He just wanted to offer him a ride to wherever he needed to go. Anything to spend a bit more time with someone who was unlike anyone John had ever met. Which was as good an explanation as any, but it still wasn't like John to feel like this about people he'd hardly met.

McKay was surprised to see him.

"I, uh, stuck around to see the concert," John said. "Hear I mean. You were good." He cursed himself inwardly.

"I was much better than good, but thank you anyway," McKay said. "Are you...coming on to me?" John paled. Thankfully McKay continued without a beat. "Because if you are, I won't say no, but I like to be clear about such things. We don't want any misunderstandings, right?"

"Right," John managed.

"So?" McKay asked.

"I... yes— I mean, no, I hadn't meant to come on to you, but...I, uh, wouldn't say no either," John said. Teyla and Ronon had been wondering why he wasn't dating anyone. If they could see him now, they wouldn't have.

"Oh," McKay said. "That's good. Fantastic even. Can you drive me to my hotel room?"

"Sure," John said.

~~

During the ride, McKay talked about the concert, and during sex, he talked about John fucking him harder, faster, deeper.

John stumbled into the bathroom on weak knees. The light was too bright. He cleaned himself up quickly then got a wash cloth for McKay—Rodney. He glanced into the mirror, but couldn't face looking at himself.

It had been amazing. There was something about Rodney that... John stopped himself, shaking his head a little. He was being ridiculous. He turned off the light, waiting a second until his eyes had adjusted to the dark, and went back out where McKay was lying bonelessly, eyes already closed.

"Here's...uh," John said, handing McKay the wash cloth.

McKay opened his eyes enough to take it and give himself a cursory wipe before throwing the wash cloth to the side and curling on the side.

"I'll be on my way then," John said.

"Uhum," McKay said, already half asleep.

John quickly put on his clothes and turned off the light at the door on his way out.

~~

McKay was playing for three nights in a row, but John didn't go the next day. He thought about it, but thankfully he hadn't lost his mind to a point where he started stalking a pianist with amazing blue eyes and incredibly talented hands just because they'd had a one-night stand.

"What was the deal with that guy yesterday?" Ronon asked late that evening.

"McKay," John said. "He's a pianist. He's quite good actually." Then he flushed.

"You went to his concert?" Teyla asked, not hiding her surprise.

"Since I was already there," John said with a shrug.

"Did you fuck him?" Ronon asked.

John felt his ears flaming. Teyla's eyes widened, and a barely hidden grin appeared on her face.

"Didn't know you like them loud and whiny," Ronon commented.

"He wasn't whining. He was pissed off," John corrected.

Ronon gave him a look. "Is he still in town?" he asked.

"Yeah," John said. "Another concert today and the last one tomorrow."

"You are not going again?" Teyla asked.

"I've seen it," John said.

"Are you going to fuck him again?" Ronon asked.

"He doesn't even know my name," John said. Rodney hadn't asked, only addressing John as "you".

"So?" Ronon asked.

John ignored him and asked Teyla instead, "I saw the rental car is gone. He didn't take care of that himself, did he?"

Teyla shook her head. "It was towed away this morning."

"You could wait for him outside," Ronon suggested.

"Not sure he'd be interested," John said, taking a swig from his beer. In fact he was pretty sure McKay _wasn't_ interested. There hadn't even been a token, "Here's my number. We could get together some time."

"I think he is," Teyla said.

"Why?" John asked. Then he saw that she was looking towards the door—where Rodney stood, scanning the bar until he saw John and his face lit up. John's heart did a somersault, then a backflip, and something else that left it beating loud and steady in his chest.

Rodney approached the bar, sitting down in the empty seat next to John. But when he started talking, it was to Teyla. "Since you were so kind to let me use your phone last night, I thought I'd take a look at what else you have to offer. Can you recommend anything?"

"We have a very good local beer on tap," she said.

"Then I'll have that—as long as it's citrus free," Rodney said. He turned to John and said softly, "Hey."

John swallowed. There were weird things going on in his stomach. He wanted to kiss the hell out of McKay. "Hey," he managed.

Rodney flushed, then turned to the beer that Teyla had put in front of him. "Hmm, that's very good," he said after taking a sip.

Teyla smiled, pleased.

"So where are you from?" Ronon said, leaning forward to look past John at McKay.

"I'm Canadian," McKay said. "If that was your question."

"I think he meant where you live now," Teyla clarified with a glance at John.

John shifted in his seat. They were asking for him, he knew. He wished he hadn't said anything. For some reason they thought he had a...thing for Rodney, which might be true, but it didn't mean that he wanted anyone interfering on his behalf. He still wasn't sure what to read into McKay's showing up here.

"Ah," McKay said. "I live in Berkeley at the moment. I'm involved with CNMAT there." He looked around and added, "Center for New Music and Audio Technologies."

"So, you're a music professor?" Ronon asked.

"I'm a guest artist and researcher to be specific," Rodney said.

"So it's only temporary?" Teyla asked. "Berkeley is how far? An hour's drive?"

John sighed inwardly.

"I wish," Rodney said. "Door to door it's more like ninety minutes. I hate driving." He muttered the last part under his breath.

"And it seems to hate you," John muttered just as quietly.

Rodney gave him a look.

"John could fly you," Ronon said. At McKay's confused frown, he pointed at John and said, "The guy you—" John's well-placed foot on the shin stopped him.

"Oh. John. I never got the chance to... So you're a pilot?" Rodney asked.

"Yeah. I'm mainly an instructor, but I also help out if people want to charter a flight. One person only, though. My plane is...small." John felt terrible. He was proud of his baby, but he'd seen the looks of people expecting a private jet, so he didn't want Rodney to get the wrong idea. Not that he thought Rodney was seriously interested in flying with him.

"It can't be worse than driving. Actually, I guess it could. I'm not a fan of confined spaces either," Rodney said.

John didn't know what to say. He didn't want to offer to fly Rodney back if they were just doing small talk.

"You got to your concert without problems today?" Teyla asked, rescuing him.

"Ah, yes, I took a taxi this time. No break downs. I'm not sure Judy would have survived another last minute appearance. She was almost hysterical yesterday. I'll have to have a back up phone next time. Batteries ran out fifteen miles from here yesterday," Rodney explained.

"Yeah, it's good to have a phone," John said. "That works," he added, cringing at himself. He considered going to the bathroom and not coming out until Rodney was gone. But part of him wanted to see why he had come here.

Teyla rescued him again, asking how he liked it here and if he was here often. McKay obviously hadn't heard of keeping your mouth shut if you didn't have anything nice to say, though he did like the people at the auditorium, which was why he followed their invitation several times a year.

When McKay finished his beer, John tensed. He slowly drank the rest of his own, waiting for McKay to pay and call a taxi or give him a sign.

"How much do I owe you?" McKay asked.

"This one was on the house," Teyla said, glancing at John.

"Oh, thank you," Rodney said, turning to John. He didn't say anything, though.

John felt someone kick him. He glared at Ronon, then asked Teyla, "How much?"

Teyla told him the tab for today and yesterday, and John fished out his wallet and paid. "I'm leaving," he announced, not looking at Rodney directly. "If you want, I could take—"

"Yes!" Rodney said. "I mean that would be great."

John dared to look at him and smiled. Rodney smiled back.

~~

Rodney was as demanding and loud when he fucked as when he was being fucked. John didn't want to ever move again, but he knew he had to.

McKay came back with a wash cloth, and John wiped himself clean, buying himself a few more minutes.

"Do you have to be up early tomorrow?" Rodney asked.

John stopped mid-swipe. "Not very early," he said.

"Then maybe you could stay," Rodney suggested.

John wanted nothing more than that. "Okay," he said.

He placed the wash cloth on the night stand, Rodney turned off the light, and they settled under the covers.

"I still can't believe that someone like you would come home with me two nights in a row. Not that I'm unattractive or anything, but I didn't even try to be on my best behavior and you still... Well, of course, you're really terrible at small talk or any talk. Though I would assume someone who looks like you doesn't need to talk to find someone to take to bed. You have to take tests to get a license as a flight instructor, don't you?"

"Yes," John said, feeling insulted. Not that he could blame Rodney. He _was_ terrible at talking. Especially with Rodney, who made John's unease with conversation ten times worse. "I have a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and Applied Mathematics," he added.

"From which school?" Rodney asked. "Doesn't matter, that's still quite impressive."

John pouted. He wanted to be more than 'quite impressive' to Rodney. He wanted to be unforgettable. Which was John's whole problem. Rodney was from out of town, and while it wasn't too far to visit each other on weekends, it was definitely too far for normal dating. And he didn't even know what Rodney's plans were after he was done at CNMAT. Or if Rodney was interested in more than a two-night stand.

"What's your favorite TV show?" Rodney asked.

"Current or ever?" John asked.

"It's very encouraging that you make that distinction," Rodney said.

"I like different shows for different reasons," John said before answering.

"Like new and old Battlestar," Rodney said.

John nodded. It was pretty dark, but he could see Rodney's face faintly in the moonlight.

"You totally had a crush on old Starbuck," Rodney said.

"I did not," John denied. "I had a crush on Apollo."

Rodney chuckled. "Favorite Batman?"

~~

John actually did have to get up pretty early to be able to get home and change and get to his first lesson on time. It was so early that Rodney hardly acknowledged him when he got out of bed.

They'd talked late into the night, and John wished he could stay in bed and have a lazy morning with Rodney, but he couldn't cancel his lesson on such short notice.

He was almost done getting dressed, when Rodney asked tiredly, "How much would it cost me to have you fly me back?"

"Too much," John said. "But I'll do it for free if you want." He held his breath waiting for Rodney's answer.

"Oh," Rodney said. Only half his face was visible, the rest beneath the covers. Then he sat up a bit and opened one eye more fully. "So will you pick me up tonight?"

"I can do that," John said.

Rodney rubbed his eyes and yawned. "See you tonight then."

"Tonight," John promised. Then he walked to Rodney and gave him a quick kiss on the mouth before turning and leaving.

~~

"Berkeley is not _so_ far," Teyla said after she and Ronon had wormed out of him that he was going to fly Rodney back tonight.

"You fly people to San Francisco pretty often," Ronon added.

"It's just one flight," John said.

"Like just one night?" Ronon asked. "He knows your name now," he added with a meaningful look.

"Berkeley is too far," John said.

"He will not be there forever," Teyla reminded him.

"Exactly," John said. "Who knows where he'll be a year from now."

"He could move here," Ronon said.

"Or he could move back to Canada," John countered.

"You could see each other on weekends and call during the week," Teyla said.

"You mean talk?" Ronon said.

Teyla gave him a reproachful look and turned back to John. "And if you are flying someone to San Francisco or close by, you could visit him."

"I hardly _know_ him!" John protested. Though it didn't feel like that at all. They hadn't talked about important things last night. They hadn't talked about their families or the future. But still John felt as if he _knew_ Rodney.

"You have a whole flight to get to know him," Ronon pointed out.

John sighed. Thankfully, he'd have to leave soon to pick up Rodney.

~~

"So do you have to return immediately or can you leave the plane here for a few hours?" was all that Rodney had to ask to make John go home with him once they arrived in Berkeley.

They fucked two times that night. John wasn't even sure how that was possible at his age. It was late night/early morning, and he knew he'd have to get up and head home soon.

"So, uh, do you have a boyfriend or someone you sleep with regularly?" Rodney asked before John could force himself out of bed.

"No," John said. He wasn't sure what the question said about what Rodney thought of him. "Actually, there are two guys I fuck if the opportunity comes up but it's nothing serious."

"Ah," Rodney said. "I also don't have a boyfriend—or girlfriend for that matter."

"You're bi," John concluded.

"Problem? Not that it should be," Rodney said.

"No problem," John said. "I was married once. To a woman. And I very occasionally sleep with women. If the opportunity comes up."

"With your ex?" Rodney asked.

"No," John said. "If the right woman comes along. Doesn't happen often." He wasn't sure why they were talking about sleeping with other people. He hoped Rodney would enlighten him. He'd need to leave soon.

"As I said, the Harmony people invite me to come back often, and it's not so far that driving there on weekends would be impossible..." Rodney trailed off.

"I often fly people out to San Francisco," John said. "And I could come here on my own every other week." He held his breath.

"Sounds like a plan," Rodney said, smiling.

John kissed him, too afraid to look at Rodney in this moment. When they finally parted, he quickly said, "I need to go."

"What's your number?" Rodney asked.

~~

"My time at CNMAT is over soon," Rodney said one night while he was visiting John a few months later.

"Oh," John said, tensing. He'd known the moment would come, but Rodney had never said what his plans for the future were, and John hadn't dared to ask.

"The people at the Harmony Auditorium have asked me to consider working full-time for them. Well, begging might the more appropriate term," Rodney went on.

Rodney was moving here? Or at least considering it? John tried not to hope.

"Do you remember the sex you're having when the opportunity comes up?" Rodney asked.

John was a bit confused. "You mean when you call?" He hadn't thought he'd enjoy phone sex that much, but Rodney had a raunchy mouth, and John had learned to love it.

"I meant with other people," Rodney clarified.

John stiffened. He hadn't slept with anyone else since meeting Rodney. They'd never talked about it, but it stung that Rodney thought he had or would.

"John?" Rodney asked, but John didn't look at him.

He considered getting out of bed. He didn't want to have this talk. So far John had been able to pretend they were in a relationship without having to negotiate anything. He wasn't good at open relationships. He wasn't good at relationships period, but he hated the thought of Rodney with someone else.

"I don't really care what you did or didn't do while I was in Berkeley. Okay, that's a lie. I hate to imagine that you—"

"I didn't," John said. "Not once. Wasn't even tempted." He added the last with a slight pout.

Rodney's eyes lit up. "I didn't either. And I was wondering if we could keep it that way."

"When you move here?" John asked.

"I haven't decided yet," Rodney said. "I have other offers. Some could be considered better, but they don't have..." His gaze trailed down John's face then his body.

Rodney was considering moving here—for John. He'd never hear the end of it from Teyla and Ronon. "Me," John said.

"Right," Rodney said.

John didn't know what to say.

"I'll have to look at a place to stay. The auditorium is not exactly close to the airport, but I was wondering..." Rodney looked around the bedroom. He'd often complained about the size of John's apartment.

"You want us to move in together?" John asked.

"Too soon?" Rodney asked. "I'm not very good at this. I mean I'm better at this than you, but so is a cockroach. Maybe we should head to Teyla and see what she and Ronon have to say."

"Hey," John protested. "I'm not...worse at relationships than a cockroach. Not that I know anything about cockroach relationships. We don't need Teyla and Ronon for this. We've been doing fine so far."

"We never even discussed if our relationship was open or not," Rodney pointed out.

"But we agreed in practice, which is what matters," John countered. "More than words if you think about it."

"I love you," Rodney said.

John's eyes widened.

"I knew you'd react like this," Rodney said. Before he could say more, John pulled him into a deep kiss. But Rodney pushed him away. "No, I want you to look at me." Then he repeated, "I love you, John."

John looked at him, his heart growing three sizes.

"If it's too soon that's fine, but if you'll never be able to say it, tell me now. I'm not sure it will matter if you look at me like that, but I'll have to take it under—" John interrupted him with a kiss again. Rodney pushed him back. "That's not an answer."

John looked at him with what he hoped was _that_ look. "You walked into the bar, pissed off and condescending. I remember that Ronon basically offered to kick you out for Teyla, but I couldn't take my eyes off you. I still can't."

"Don't think I didn't notice that still wasn't an answer," Rodney said, but kissed him anyway.

"I love you," John said between kisses. "I think I loved you before you left the bar that night."

Rodney blinked. "I'll make do with you," he said, kissing John again quickly.

John pushed him back. "You're not crying are you?"

"Of course not," Rodney protested, blinking a few more times.

"You really want to live with me," John said, still feeling the wonder of it all.

"I usually have higher standards," Rodney said huffily.

"But you love me," John finished for him.

"I do," Rodney said with feeling. "More than I imagined was possible."

John cupped his face. "You know, maybe we'll do just fine relationship-wise," he said.

"Hmm," Rodney said, cuddling closer. "Now we'll just have to agree on a place to live, though pretty much anything will be better than this. Your _plane_ is big in comparison."

"Now you've insulted my apartment _and_ my plane in one sentence," John said.

"I'm talented like that," Rodney said.

John snorted. "You're talented in a lot of things," he said, letting his hand slide down Rodney's side.

"I know," Rodney said, kissing him.

John rolled on top of him.


End file.
